


The Little Lady

by pottermum



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: Family Feels, Gen, Humor, Role Models
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-09-12
Updated: 2016-09-12
Packaged: 2018-08-14 15:35:41
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,852
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8019493
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/pottermum/pseuds/pottermum
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Molly decides its time to teach Lily Luna how to be a little lady.</p>
            </blockquote>





	The Little Lady

Molly smiled at the chatter of her three Potter grandchildren as she dished up breakfast. Harry and Ginny, and Hermione and Ron, had gone out for the evening, so Molly had agreed to the children sleeping over, thus giving Harry and Ginny a lazy morning sleep in. Rose and Hugo were staying over at their other grandparents.

Arthur and Molly made sure the children had a good plateful of breakfast, always enjoying having any of their grandchildren stay over. Both were used to a house full of children, and their beloved home was too big just for the two of them. 

Neither would ever admit it, but they did have their favourites amongst their grandchildren, although they loved them all equally. They both had a special bond with Victoire, their first grandchild, who brought them some much needed happiness in that terrible time after the war. She had been the only grandchild for a couple of years, till her younger sister Dominique came along.

For Molly, she had a special spot in her heart for two; her namesake Molly, Percy's eldest daughter, and Hugo, Ron's son. 

Arthur got quite a kick out of seeing James and Freddie together, as they reminded him so much of his own twins, George and Fred. However, his youngest grandchild had a special place in his heart. 

The daughter of his only daughter. From the moment he'd held Lily, Arthur lost his heart, as he had done years earlier when Ginny was born. Lily Luna was so like his Ginny, in both looks and temperament, although Ginny insisted the latter was Lily's Potter genes coming through. Arthur knew Harry would have his hands full with Lily when she was at Hogwarts, even if she turned out half as beautiful as his Gin-bug. 

“ Whatwedoinaftrbwkfast?” asked nearly eight year old James, his mouth full. 

“ James Potter, we do not talk with our mouths full,” said Molly, sternly. 

“ Sorry, Grandma,” said James. Arthur winked at him from behind his newspaper. 

“ Can we go explorin' Grandma?” asked six and a half year old Albus.

“ Me too, me too,” cried four year old Lily, her legs swinging under the table.

“ You boys can go check for eggs in the chicken coop. Lily, I have something fun for us to do today,” said Molly. 

“ What is it?” asked Lily, her eyes wide in anticipation

“ Today you're going to learn to be a little lady,” announced Molly. 

Arthur lowered his paper to look at his wife. James and Albus looked at their grandmother and their little sister, then laughed like crazy. 

“ Bahahaha, that's funny, Grandma,” said James. 

“ Erm, Molly, I don't -” began Arthur. 

“ There's nothing funny about it, James. Lily will make a perfect little lady, won't you, Lil-bug,” said Molly. 

Lily nodded defiantly, a gleam in her eye. 

Albus snorted. Lily leaned over and pinched him. “ Hey!” he said, rubbing his arm.

“ Lily, ladies don't pinch,” said Molly, sternly. 

“ But Grandma-” said Lily, but Molly held her hand up for her to stop. 

Lily turned to Albus and stuck her tongue out at him. He threw some scrambled eggs at her. She threw her spoon at him. He simply picked it up and continued to eat his breakfast. 

“ Grandma, Albie's got my spoon,” she wailed.

“ Well, you shouldn't have thrown it at him,” scolded Molly, sighing. 

Lily's lower lip wobbled, and she turned to look at her grandpa. Arthur melted as a big fat tear fell from her eye. “ Here, sweetheart,” he said, handing her a clean one. She smiled at him as if he had given her the moon. 

“ She's such a crybaby,” said James, rolling his eyes. 

“Am not, you are” retaliated Lily immediately. 

“ Are too,” said Albus and James together. 

“Grandpa, the boys are being mean,” complained Lily. 

“ Now boys, Lil's only little,” said Arthur gently. Lily flashed her brothers a triumphant smile.

“ Can we go outside now?” asked James, wiping his mouth across his arm. Molly sighed when Albus copied his brother. They both whooped as they rushed from the table to outside. It was a beautiful spring morning, and there was always lots to explore at the Burrow. 

“Me too,” cried Lily, “ wait for me,” she called. “ First I gotta go potty.” 

“ Do you need help, dear?” asked Molly. Lily had been the hardest to toilet train, and still had the occasisonal accident. Molly smiled when Lily shook her head and trundled up the stairs. “ I can do it,” she said. 

“There'll be a surprise when you come back down,” she called out to Lily. 

The Floo flared, and Victoire and Fleur stepped out. Vicky ran to hug her grandmother and grandfather, followed by Fleur. “ Bonjour, Maman, Papa,” she greeted them, kissing both cheeks. 

Lily soon came back downstairs, holding the railing. “ Look, Lily, Vicky has come over to be with you this morning. She's going to show you how to be a little lady. You'd like to be just like Vicky, wouldn't you?” asked Molly happily. 

Lily nodded. She adored her big cousin Vicky because she was always with Teddy. If Teddy liked Vicky, then that was good enough for Lily. Teddy was the nicest boy in the whole wide world and Lily planned to marry him one day. Or daddy, she hadn't decided yet.

Fleur came to help Lily down the rest of the stairs. “ Bonjour, Lily. You will have fun, oiu?”

“ No, I pooped, Auntie Fleur,” said Lily. 

Arthur snorted with laughter, although he quickly changed it to a cough when Molly glared at him. “ Think I'll go check on the boys,” he said quickly. He stood and started for the door.

“ Me too, me too,” cried Lily. 

“ Not today, Lil-bug. Today, we're going to learn to be a lady, remember,” said Molly. “ First thing we're going to do is change your clothes,” she said. 

She held up a pretty party dress, one she'd had for many years, hidden in the back of a cupboard. “ Ooh, Grandmere, it's so pretty,” sighed Vicky. 

Lily came forward. “ Pretty,” she echoed, touching it. It was soft and silky in a pretty pink that would clash terribly with her hair.

“ Let's try it on, shall we?” asked Molly, hopefully. Vicky clapped her hands excitedly, so Lily nodded happily. 

Molly slipped it over her head after she'd taken her tee shirt and shorts off. Vicky slid her hair out from the neckline. Lily swayed from side to side, then twirled around, laughing happily when the dress flared out. She did it over and over. 

“ Oh Lil-bug, you look so pretty,” said Arthur, who had popped his head back in to tell Molly he was heading for the pond with the boys.

“ Watch me, Grandpa, watch me,” said Lily excitedly, twirling harder so the dress flared out even further. She twirled so hard she nearly fell over, giggling. Arthur blew her a kiss then headed back outside.

“ Will you let me brush your hair, Lily?” asked Vicky. “ Domi lets me do hers,” she encouraged. “ I could even French braid it.” 

Lily always envied Vicky and Domi when they had their hair French braided, so she nodded eagerly. 

It was hard to sit still for what seemed forever, but finally Vicky announced she was done. Molly conjured a mirror for her to see how it looked. Lily turned from side to side, happy with how it looked. 

“ Right then, now we look like pretty little ladies, it's time to learn what ladies do. Lily, you're never too old to learn household chores. Auntie Audrey is already teaching Lucy,” she said proudly. 

Lily sat up. Lucy was her best friend, as she was only a few months older than Lily, but they were also rivals. If Lucy could do it, so could Lily. “ Teach me, Grandma,” she said. 

“ Very well,” nodded Molly. “ Follow me, girls. She went to the kitchen, where the breakfast dishes had been washed and were drying on the sink. “ Let's start with drying the dishes,” instructed Molly. 

She took her apron off the door and held it up. “ Don't want to get your pretty dress dirty now,” she said. 

Lily's eyes widened. Grandpa's apron was something special, she had never seen anyone but Grandma wear it. She looked down as Molly tied it around and over her dress. When Molly was done, Lily twirled, laughing as the apron and the dress now flared out together.

“ Now Lily, take the tea towel and dry the dishes on that side,” said Molly, pointing to the side where no sharp or easily broken dishes were. There were only a few plastic cups and plates from the children's dinner and breakfast. 

“ I'll help you, Lily. I can put them in the cupboard when you've dried them,” explained Vicky. 

“ Okay,” said Lily, thinking it was a fun game. She dragged a chair over to the sink and stood on it so she could reach easily. “ This is how I help daddy at home,” she explained. 

“ Good girl,” praised Molly, watching her eldest and youngest granddaughters helping each other. 

“ You're a really good drier,” said Vicky, when she was finished. 

Lily nodded. “ That's what mummy says,” she said.

“ Now, we're going to do some baking. When you get married you need to know how to cook for your husband and your children,” lectured Molly. She wasn't to know that both her granddaughters were picturing the same boy for their future husband. 

“ Ooh, can we bake some bread, Grandmere?” asked Vicky. 

Molly nodded. “ That's a good thing to learn. Vicky, be a love and get my recipe book please,” she asked. Not that she needed it, having baked bread for many years.

Vicky went to the pantry and returned carrying the big book. Molly used her wand to find the right page, and began to list the ingredients. Vicky went to the pantry and returned with each item, measuring it out carefully before returning the item to the pantry. 

Lily was getting bored, and wondered what her brothers were up to. She swayed, holding the sides of her dress. “ Lily, perhaps you could go get the flour,” suggested Molly, sensing the little girl was getting restless. “ It's on the second to bottom shelf.” 

“ Okay, Grandma,” said Lily, determined to show she could do as good as Vicky. 

“ Molly! Love, got a second?” called Arthur from outside. 

Molly sighed and started for the door. “ Measure out five cups of flour, please Vicky,” she said, and Vicky nodded. 

Lily returned, struggling to carry a heavy jar. “ Here, Lil, I'll help you,” said Vicky, helping the little girl. She took the jar, opened it and measured out five cups, even letting Lily scoop the flour up. She then screwed the lid back on, and Lily took it back to the pantry. 

“ Now we need some yeast and salt,” read Vicky. She went to the pantry to get the yeast, and showed Lily where the salt was. 

“ Right then, we just need some butter and sugar,” instructed Molly, when she returned. “ You've both done well,” she praised. 

She showed them how to best mix the ingredients, and Lily had to admit, punching the ball of mixture was a lot of fun. Her ball of dough wasn't as perfectly round as Grandma's or Vicky's, but she had tried her best. She watched as Grandma put them into the oven to bake, even crouching down to see what happened when they were inside.

“ You've done very well, Lily,” praised Molly, taking her apron off Lily. “ You've baked and cleaned, and you have kept your pretty dress clean. Good girl.” 

Lily beamed. She had done it, she had kept up with Vicky and her grandma.

They spent the next fifteen minutes listening to Molly talk about manners, about dressing nicely and helping around the house. Molly thought Lily was listening really well; in truth she was fixated on two bugs climbing the wall, wondering which one would get to the top first.

“ It's time for you to go home, Vicky. Thanks for coming over today, Lil, you may go and play for half an hour. Please keep your dress clean,” said Molly. 

“ I will, Grandma,” said Lily, waving goodbye to Vicky as she raced outside. 

“ Lily, ladies don't run,” called out Molly.

Lily stopped and sighed. She walked quickly until she was over the hill and out of sight of the house. She then happily skipped to find her brothers. Surely ladies skipped, didn't they?

She spotted her brothers and forgot all about her grandma's words. After all, if she hurried, she could climb to the top of that tree faster than them. She raced off, picking up her dress so it didn't drag, just like her grandma had told her to do.

/*/*/*/*

Harry and Ginny stepped from the fireplace into the kitchen. “Mmm, smells like Mum's been baking bread,” said Ginny, sniffing the air. 

“ Oh, hello, dears. Good night last night?” asked Molly, hearing voices and coming in to greet them. 

“ It was a good night,” agreed Harry. “ Dean's paintings were selling well, so I'd say he was a hit,” he said. 

“ And the restaurant we went to before the show was amazing,” said Ginny. Harry nodded in agreement. 

Ginny looked around. “ Where are the kids?” she asked. As wonderful as it was to have some time alone with Harry, she missed her children. 

“ They're all outside with your father. Lily and I had the best morning, Ginny. We did some baking, and she helped with the dishes,” beamed Molly.

Harry chuckled. “ She's becoming a regular little helper in the kitchen.” 

Ginny nodded. “She loves to help Harry.” She peered out the window. “ I think I'll go find them.” 

“ I'll come too,” said Harry, and he took her hand and led her outside. They took their time ambling down the well worn path, occasionally stopping for a snog here and there. 

“ Hey, Mum, Dad,” called James happily. He and Albus raced to them; Ginny holding her arms open for a hug from Albus. 

“ You boys look like you've had fun,” chuckled Harry, his arm over James' shoulder. He picked out some leaves from James' hair. 

“ We've been climbing trees, Dad. We even picked some apples for Grandma to make a pie,” said Albus. 

“ Yum, home made apple pie,” said Ginny. “ I smelt fresh bread baking too,” she said. 

“ Mummy, Daddy,” called Lily. She waved from the back of her grandpa, who was piggy backing her. He stopped to put her down and she raced over to them. 

“ Merlin!” gasped Molly, who had decided to join them. 

Lily ran to them in her knickers and singlet. Her knee was scraped and her hair had come out of the braid and was tangled. Harry bent down and she ran into his arms. 

“ Daddy, I climbed a tree, nearly to the top, and then I nearly felled into the pond!” she said excitedly. “Can we go flying, Mummy, please?” she begged.

“ Lily Luna, where is your dress?” asked Molly. 

“ Dress? I don't think I packed any dresses for Lil,” said Ginny confused. 

“ Grandma and me and Vicky were playing ' ladies' ,” announced Lily. She looked at her grandmother. “ I didn't want to get the pretty dress dirty so I took it off. Daddy, I caught a tadpole!” she exclaimed happily. 

“ You did? Where is it?” asked Harry. 

“ I caught him in my hands, but he swam out. He was really fast,” she said, showing him how she cupped her hands to catch it.

“ That's when she nearly fell in,” chimed in James. 

“ Lucky Grandpa was fast, too,” added Albus. “ He caught her just in time.” 

Lily nodded in agreement, grinning at her grandpa who had just joined them.

“ So Mum, about that fly?” asked James.

“ Why don't you boys run to the shed and grab four brooms,” suggested Ginny. 

“ Yes!” cheered James. He and Albus raced off. 

“Me too, me too,” cried Lily, wriggling to get down. She raced after her brothers.

Arthur handed Molly the dress. “ She didn't want to get it dirty,” he said. 

“ May I see that?” asked Ginny. Molly handed her the dress. “ It looks like one I had when I was little,” noted Ginny. 

“That's because it is the dress you had when you were little,” said Molly. “ I never threw it out. I couldn't.” 

“ It's very pretty,” agreed Harry.

“ But Mum, you've had six other granddaughters before Lily. I haven't seen any of them wearing it,” said Ginny. 

Molly shook her head. “ It was yours, therefore, it was Lily's,” she explained.

Ginny chuckled. “ I hope she liked it more than I did.” 

“ She wore it all morning,” said Molly proudly. “ You should have seen her twirling in it,” she chuckled. She shooed them on. “ Go on, go for a fly. Half an hour then come up to the house for some lunch. We made fresh bread earlier,” she cajoled. 

“ Can't wait,” said Harry, and he and Ginny headed for the broom shed while Arthur and Molly headed back to the house.

Molly puttered about in the kitchen, getting plates ready and condiments for the bread. She peered out the kitchen window when she heard voices. 

James and Albus walked either side of their parents, both talking excitedly over each other. Harry and Ginny nodded, each listening to the boy at their side. In the middle of Harry and Ginny was Lily, holding her parents hand. Every now and then they'd swing her up. 

For a moment in time, Molly flash backed many years. Of a happy afternoon spent in the sunshine, watching her children play together. The elder boys helped the little ones, picking apples and oranges, dipping their feet in the pond. Arthur watched the twins, George and Fred ( dear Fred!) fly on their make shift pitch, while Molly spread a blanket out to prepare for the picnic. There was laughter and love that day, and the whole family was together. On the way back to the house, she and Arthur had swung little Ginny between them, like Harry and Ginny were doing with Lily. How Molly's heart was full as she relieved those wonderful times, and saw them in her daughter's family.

The timer on the stove pinged, so Molly used her wand to open the stove and levitate the trays out. She stared in dismay at the cooked blobs that sat on the tray. 

“Mmm, fresh bread. I really can't wait for – Mum, what happened?” asked Ginny, looking down at the ruined bread. 

“I don't understand,” said Molly, shaking her head in disbelief, staring at the bread. 

“Mmm, something smells – erm, what's that?” asked Harry, peering over Ginny's shoulder, Lily in his arms. 

Lily clapped happily. “Daddy- Vicky, Grandma and me made bread.”

“Something must have gone wrong,” commiserated Ginny, patting her mother's arm. 

“I've been baking bread since before you were born, Ginevra, and I've never had this happen,” snapped Molly. 

“Gi-Nee-vra,” taunted James, and he and Albus laughed. 

“I don't understand. I got most of the ingredients out myself,” said Molly, in a bit of a daze. 

“Most of the ingredients?” asked Ginny. 

Molly nodded. “I left Vicky to get the flour, yeast and salt. You don't suppose...” 

“I got the flour, Grandma. You told me, and I got it,” reminded Lily. 

“Will you show Mummy, darling?” asked Ginny. 

Lily nodded and scrambled down from Harry's arms. She went to the pantry and returned, carrying the same heavy jar she had earlier. “See the pretty flowers, Mummy.” 

Ginny smiled, while Molly groaned. Lily had indeed brought back a pretty jar with flowers all over it. Unfortunately, it did not contain flour. 

“Bi-carbonate soda,” groaned Molly, when Harry, stifling a laugh, enquired what the container held.

“Looks like the chooks will have a good feed tonight,” grinned Arthur.

“This is a good excuse for us to take you both out for lunch, as a thank you for having the kids,” said Harry. 

“Well, we did have fun, didn't we, Lily?” asked Molly. 

Lily nodded. “But I don't wanna play 'ladies' any more, Grandma. I'm gonna be a 'splorer, like Aunty Luna,” she said.

“You can be anything you want to be, Lils,” agreed Ginny. “You can even be more than one thing.”

“That's right, sweetheart,” agreed Harry. “You can be a lady and an explorer.”

Lily put her lips to Harry's cheek. Molly thought she was simply kissing her daddy, but instead, she blew a raspberry on his cheek.

James and Albus howled with laughter, making Lily look down on them, pleased with herself.

“Come on, Lady Lily, let's get you dressed for lunch,” offered Ginny, taking her from Harry.

“Grandma, can I wear my pretty dress to lunch...please,” Lily hurriedly tacked on, remembering her grandma's rules about manners.

Molly beamed. “Of course you can, sweetheart.”

“Mummy, Daddy, you have to see me twirl in my pretty dress,” she cried. 

“Can't wait, Lil,” grinned Harry.

They lunched at a cafe near Ottery St Catchpole. Lily minded her manners beautifully, making Molly proud. When she finished her lunch, she was allowed to wander over near the small fence, to look at the ducks in the nearby pond. She swayed with her dress as she did so, feeling quite the little lady. 

An older boy from a nearby table came to join her. He pulled her hair to get her attention. “Ducks are stupid,” he announced. “My dad races pigeons; they're heaps better.” 

“My daddy doesn't like pigeons,” said Lily, still swaying.

“Well, that's stupid too,” sneered the boy. 

“Are you saying my daddy is stupid?” asked Lily, her little fists clenching. 

The boy grinned, now that he had her attention.“Stupid, stupid, stupid. Your dad is stupid, and your dress is stupid. You shouldn't wear pink with your carroty hair.”

Wham! The boy sucked in his stomach, where Lily just punched him. 

“Erm, everything all right, Lily?” asked Arthur, who had come to find his little lady. 

“Fine, Grandpa,” smiled Lily, innocently. 

“She punched me,” cried the boy, pointing at Lily. 

Lily looked up to her frowning grandpa. “He called daddy stupid and my dress stupid.”

“Now, Lily, hitting isn't the answer. Say sorry,” said Arthur.

Lily thought about it for a few seconds. “Sorry,” she said, begrudgingly. The boy smiled in a gloating manner.

“Right then, it's time to go,” said Arthur, turning to walk back to the table. 

“I'm sorry you're so stupid,” whispered Lily to the boy. She then turned and skipped up to meet her family. After all, ladies liked to skip, she was sure.

Arthur took her hand and they followed the others out. At the last moment, Arthur turned around and saw the boy still looking at Lily and him. Without even thinking about it, he stuck his tongue out at the boy. The boy's jaw dropped open to see a grown up do that.

“Arthur, are you coming?” called Molly. 

“Coming, Molly,” called Arthur. He hurried to catch up to Lily. 

“Watch me twirl, Grandpa,” said Lily, the boy already forgotten. 

“Always, sweetheart. Always,” said Arthur, lovingly. 

Harry winked at him.

Lily had them both wrapped around her finger.


End file.
